The Morrow Family Saga, Series 1: 1950s, Book 2: Dreams

By Jaysen True Blood

It is 1951 and Natalia Morrow is ten years old going on twenty. Her world has been turned upside down with the events of 1950 and yet, she has gone boy crazy, She wants to pursue Tobias French, the son of her father's worst enemy but knows that it would be bad for the family.

In Washington, The DOJ is only a few steps from indicting Toffer French and French Industries of unspeakable crimes. At the same time Joe McCarthy and his acolytes wage their war against imagined communists with the help of an unlikely ally: Eddie Hoover, the head of the FBI. 

But Hoover is also an ally of those seeking to bring down French Industries, which makes him a contradiction in terms. Inadvertantly, Hoover begind a relationship between Tom Goldman, Kendrick Wells, and the Morrow family that will last decades.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jaysen True Blood
• Release date: Feb 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393568544

Jaysen True Blood

Jaysen True Blood was born and raised in the Midwest where he currently resides. His first taste of writing came early in grade school with a class assignment. a few years later, his love for writing would return as he found himself with another class assignment, this time a poetry unit. through junior high, he would write a series of novels, many poems, and begin his long interest in writing song lyrics as well. In high school, he would learn the value of tall tales, myths and other kinds of stories as he continued to build his store of stories. upon graduation, he went for a semester at a university, where he would write two stories, one of which would become a serial online for about six months. Returning home, he worked at just about anything he could find, but never strayed far from his love of the story. After his first marriage, he signed on with Keep It Coming, an e-zine, where he wrote two serials, "Tales From The Renge" and "Breed's Command" (the same characters appear with Fancy Marsh in several subsequent westerns. The serial was taken from a manuscript written for a class assignment while in high school). H also wrote writing and music related articles for the print version of KIC that came out for just three issues. When KIC went under, Jay was once again forced to work at different jobs just to make ends meet. between 2007 and 2010, Jay would release "Seven By Jay: Seven Short Stories", "The Price Of Lust: Book One Of Faces In The Crowd" and "So Here's To Twilight And Other Poems".

Book preview

1

At ten, Natalia was swiftly outgrowing her shyness toward boys. She had a steady stream of boys she was sweet on, but not for long. Friends became crushes, then went back to being friends. By the time August of 1951 rolled around, she had become quite an item.

Though never very serious, her crushes were always crushed when she drifted away to a new one. But never for very long. There were other girls, other loves. Not that puppy love was ever that serious.

She still didn't understand the importance of the events taking place in the real world. She still believed that the world was like it was portrayed on TV. Kukla, Fran and Ollie, The Goldbergs, The Burns and Allen Show, and I Love Lucy made life look so peaceful. They portrayed the family as innocent and happy and the world as at peace and the country as being tolerant and kind. 

She still had no idea that there was bigotry and injustice in the world. TV didn't show it. It didn't exist. Sure, there were things being done and people being rounded up but that still seemed a whole world away. All she knew was that she was safe.

She had all but forgotten the family meeting and Papa and Mama Venechek leaving to live in Dallas with Uncle Chuck. Life had moved on and she had grown a little. She still loved their stories, but now she had them to read as often as she liked. Shasta had made them all into skits, much like what she saw on The Texaco Theater or on The Philco Television Playhouse and Natalia often acted them out for her parents. But it did little to make Daddy happy.

Sure, he encouraged her. He even laughed at her antics. But the truth was that Daddy had been distant since That day last summer when the family held their meeting. He was not the same cheerful, happy-go-lucky man he'd been.

French Industries had a little to do with that as well. Mr. French seemed hellbent on destroying Daddy. It was so unfair. Didn't Mr. French have enough?

French Industries owned half the city. At least that was how it seemed. He owned the biggest buildings downtown.  He had the fanciest cars.

Everyone said, though, that he did dirty business. Whatever that meant. All she really knew was that things had not been going well for Daddy. Business had been slacking and there was less to go around.

Still, the family seemed to hold together. Infusions of funds came in from the Venechek family members as well as Daddy's own family. Everyone was pulling together.

Unlike Nattie, Shasta knew what was going on. French Industries had declared war on Morrow Millworks. Morrow Millworks had been in business for nearly two hundred years. Almost as long as the great country it called home.

Of course, the London office was older still, dating back to before colonial times. Once owned by another, more distant part of the family, it was acquired By Grandpa Morrow only fifty years ago. From there, the Millworks expanded into other parts of the free world.

French Industries, however, was relatively new. It had been started by Silas French, Toby's grandfather. Once a partner in the millworks, Silas split away when opportunity knocked and took a handful of Grandpa's newer clients. Many returned when Silas' goods turned out to be inferior in quality.

From that point on, Silas and his family became rivals. They struggled to build an empire like that the Morrow family had taken centuries to build. But they failed to understand that reputation is built on quality, not quantity.

The Morrows had built their reputation on honesty, integrity, and quality. Money had never been foremost. Sure it was the bottom line, but not so important that it ruled how things got done. If it was not quality, whether resource or finished product, It was never used or sold. It had to be as close to perfect as a man could make it.

Shasta was proud of the family's legacy. It was their history,  her history.  It was how she was able to enjoy the finer things in life. It kept her fed and clothed.

Now, all that was being threatened by a man whose greed was greater than his business sense. And he was willing to use any means necessary to destroy anyone in his path. Daddy most of all. Even though he had less than Daddy, Mr. French still thought he could outlast him. But the Frenches didn't have as big a family as the Morrows. At least not family that would back them.

This was where French Industries was miscalculating things. Even the British Morrows were lining up to back the American branch of the family. And they didn't really know much about Daddy or the others. It was amazing.

She was disappointed in her sister, seeing her ignore the realities of the newly emerging world. She knew that Nattie couldn't fathom the political battles going on, nor the financial wars. Both were tied to the other inexplicably. History continued to repeat itself in various ways, no matter how learned man thought he was.

But she was determined, despite whether her sister understood or grew aware, not to repeat any past mistakes. She continued to pour over her history books to find answers. She looked in every book she could for answers.  But she could find no answers.

Natalia remained blissfully ignorant of the truth. Her world revolved around her crushes. Her thoughts were all about the cutest boy in the neighborhood, what dress she would wear to impress him, and buying lipstick and jewelry. She wasn't concerned with where the money came from or who was making things hard for the family.

Of course, she really didn't care about history or learning much unless she was in school. Then, it was only so she could pass. She really didn't think much of school. Not at the moment. Nor did she care about the fate of the family. She had no clue what was lying just around the bend.

2

Toffer French looked at the list of allies placed before him. His original head of security had abandoned him last year, leaving him holding the bag. Hell. Half of his original staff had left. And they had taken most of his important files. Not to mention, his ledgers.

They had taken all his important files. Lists of enemies. Lists of businesses he wanted to drive out of business. Women he had ruined the lives of.

How could this all happen? How could they be so ungrateful that they just up and leave? How could they betray him? Seemed that good help was hard to find anymore.

His greed had served him well in the past, but it seemed to be failing him now. Why? Was it his lust for beautiful women? His love of opulent things? His utter decadence?

Or had his slut of a wife been spending all his money? Where had that bitch gone, anyway? More than likely to one of her many lovers, no doubt. Or to the sheriff. No matter. He would deal with her later.

And that no good son. What was he up to? Causing